Gold recommissions Simon Callow’s The Rebel

Simon Callow is returning to UKTV’s Gold with a second series of his sitcom, The Rebel.

Debuting last year, the Brighton-filmed series stars Callow as irascible hellraising pensioner Henry Palmer, a former mod who sees no reason to stop living his life by his own rules now he’s in his seventies.

Also returning for series two are Bill Paterson as former hippie Charles, Anita Dobson as charity shop worker Margaret, Anna Crilly (Lead Balloon) as Henry’s put-upon daughter Cath, and Amit Shah (Stag) as her husband Jeremy.

Callow said: “I’m so pleased to be getting inside Henry Palmer’s skin again: a man of certain age behaving very badly, casting off the chains of convention, uttering the unutterable and defying decency.

Writer Andrew Birch, who adapted the shop from his own cartoon strip for The Oldie, said: “The one thing better than having a sitcom commissioned is being asked to write a second series.

“I feel especially fortunate to be working once again with such marvellous actors, film crew and director, and such a brilliant team from Retort and UKTV.

“I hope the continuing adventures of Henry, his friends and long-suffering family in the mean streets of Brighton amuse you all, and provoke acts of rebellion throughout our fair land.”

Pete Thornton, UKTV senior commissioning editor, added: “It was such a joy to watch Simon breathe (or should that be bellow?) life into Henry Palmer over three episodes last year – a joy that Gold viewers clearly shared in their numbers.

“It’s a real pleasure to be working with him and the rest of the cast, Andrew Birch and the talented production team at Retort to create a full six-part series of senior misbehaviour this year.”